Storm chasing requires learning a lot of words that are only used to describe weather. To help you better understand research reports and lectures, we have provided a list of terms commonly used for reference.
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- Bow Echo:
- An arched or bowed section of a thunderstorm as seen on radar. Can produce severe straight-line winds or tornadoes.
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- Cap:
- Layer of warm air, generally thousands of feet above ground, which can delay or even suppress thunderstorms from developing.
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- CB:
- Abbreviation for cumulonimbus cloud.
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- CC:
- Abbreviation for Cloud-to-Cloud lightning.
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- CG:
- Cloud-to-Ground lightning.
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- Dew Point:
- Measure of atmospheric moisture. The cooled air temperature at which condensation occurs.
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- Doppler Radar:
- A radar that calculates speed and intensity by using the Doppler effect. Used to determine storm speeds and direction.
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- Downburst:
- A strong downdraft that produces an outward burst of damaging winds. Different weather phenomenon than a tornado but capable of similar levels of destruction.
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- Enhanced Fujita Scale:
- Updated version of the F-Scale that better accounts for actual tornado strength. Also known as the EF-Scale.
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- Fujita Scale:
- Scale used to define tornado strength based on the damage created from the winds, created by Dr. Theodore Fujita. Also called the F-Scale.
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- Funnel Cloud:
- Rotating air column that has lowered from the base of a thunderstorm but is not yet in contact with the ground.
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- Hook Echo:
- Hook shaped extension of a thunderstorm as seen on radar. Strong indicator of favorable conditions for tornadoes.
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- HP Supercell:
- High-Precipitation supercell storm.
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- Punch the Core:
- To drive through the section of the storm with the heaviest precipitation. Not recommended.
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- Roping Out:
- Dissipating stage of a tornado.
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- Rope Tornado:
- Narrow tornado that resembles a rope. Typically seen during the dissipating state of a tornado (see also Roping Out).
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- SheAR:
- Typically referring to vertical wind shear – the change in wind direction or speed with height.
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- Supercell:
- Thunderstorm with a persistent rotating updraft.
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- Tornado:
- Violently rotating air column that has lowered from the base of a thunderstorm and is in contact with the ground.
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- Tornadogenesis:
- The process by which a tornado forms.
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- Twister:
- Common slang for tornado.
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- Updraft:
- Small current of rising air.
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- Wedge Tornado:
- Large tornado with funnel that is at least as wide on the ground as it is tall.
